1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for personal identification, and, particularly relates to an apparatus and a method for personal identification in which images of blood vessel patterns of human bodies are used.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is widely known, research on the use of physical characteristics of users (biometrics) for information unique to each user to be used in personal identification has been carried out in recent years. Although fingerprints are most widely used in biometrics, identification also is performed using retinas, irises, voiceprints (voices), palm prints, faces, or the like.
In such identification methods, however, characteristics are typically extracted from information on human bodies obtained by image pickup, voice recording, or the like, to be converted into patterns, which will be compared with previously stored patterns to determine if they are identical or not. Accordingly, conversion into precise patterns is needed to ensure identification accuracy, and it takes some time to perform a pattern recognition process in practical identification, which does not permit quick personal identification.